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Malawi

In Malawi, the government has made clean water a priority. But one in three people still don't have clean water, how can we reach the rest?

WaterAid/Alexia Webster

Malawi

Capital:

Lilongwe

Population:

17 million

Area:

118,484

km2

Malawi is often called ‘the warm heart of Africa’ because of its vibrant feel and welcoming people. Although it’s one of the smallest and least-developed countries in the continent, it’s showing great progress and leadership in clean water.

Since the early 2000s, Malawi’s Government has made clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene for every person a priority. Globally, nine in ten people now have clean water to drink and almost everyone knows about the health risks of going to the toilet in the open.

But these successes are under threat. Local councils need more support to develop resilient services that can deal with the country’s drastic water shortages and the mass movement of people due to climate change.

Decent toilets remain vital to enable people to keep healthy and unlock their potential, but 10 million people – more than half the population – are still living without one.

Together, we will reach every last person in Malawi with water, toilets and hygiene. We know that doing so will have a lasting impact, helping poor and marginalised communities escape poverty for good.

To do this, we’re working with government, communities and partner organisations. We share our skills, knowledge and experience to make these basic services a normal part of everyday life.

At the same time, we’re making people aware of their rights, through citizen’s action groups and community-led initiatives, to make sure every voice is heard.

1 in 3 people in Malawi don't have clean water.

That's 5.6 million people.

9.6 million people don't have a decent toilet.

That's more than half of the entire population.

More than 3,100 children die every year.

Caused by dirty water and poor toilets.

Dalia keeps the water flowing

WaterAid/Alexia Webster

"The men think of me as one of the best mechanics. [After] the training, I realised I could do it."

Dalia Soda, pump mechanic

Dalia Soda is one of only three female pump mechanics in Salima District. Highly respected by co-workers and communities alike, she was already a keen volunteer in the region before she learnt her trade.

“I knew Nzeremu Village before the borehole came,” Dalia explains. “I was encouraging people to contribute something towards it. They were collecting water from the lake.”

After training from WaterAid, Dalia now keeps Nzeremu’s and several other villages’ boreholes working. The job has helped her build her own house and pay for all seven of her children’s school fees.

Looking to the future, Dalia has started taking her 19-year-old son with her on jobs so that he can assist – one day, when she is too old to work, she hopes he can take over.

“I'd be very happy if he wanted to be a pump mechanic. I know it would be of service to a lot of the people in the community.”

Safer futures in Chandaka

Zione was close to finishing school when she contracted cholera - a disease that was common in her village where the water supply was unreliable. Now with a new well close to home, she's hopeful the next generation will have a better chance to finish their education.

WaterAid/Alexia Webster

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